For those looking to set up a robust and reliable server, Debian is a top-tier choice. If you need to install Debian on a server, especially in environments without a direct internet connection during setup, downloading a Debian image is the first crucial step. This guide will walk you through downloading official Debian USB, CD, and DVD images so you can get your server up and running smoothly.
Official Debian Images for Stable Release
Debian provides official images for their stable release, which are perfect for creating bootable media like USB drives, CDs, or DVDs. These images are essential for installing Debian on machines offline. You can choose between smaller CD/USB images (around 700MB each) or larger DVD/USB images (approximately 4.7GB each), depending on your needs and media availability.
The first image of either type contains all the base files required to install a standard Debian system. For server installations, this initial image is often sufficient to get started.
CD/USB Images
These smaller images are ideal if you have limited bandwidth or prefer using CDs or smaller USB drives. Each image is designed to fit on a standard CD-R(W).
DVD/USB Images
For users who prefer fewer disks or need to include more packages from the start, DVD/USB images are available. These larger images can be written to DVD-R/DVD+R media or larger USB drives.
Before proceeding with your Debian server installation, it’s highly recommended to consult the official documentation. If you’re going to read only one guide, make it the Installation Howto. This document offers a quick and comprehensive walkthrough of the entire installation process. You can also find other valuable resources like the installation guide and release notes on the Debian website.
Important Considerations Before Downloading
Keep in mind that some mirrors hosting Debian images might not always be fully synchronized. The most current stable release version for USB/CD/DVD images is 12.9.0.
To ensure you are downloading the latest and most reliable image, it is advisable to use the primary CD image server located in Sweden. This server is generally up-to-date and provides official Debian images.
If you are interested in contributing to the Debian community by mirroring CD images, you can find detailed instructions on how to set up a CD image mirror. This helps distribute the load and provides faster download speeds for users worldwide.
